Tool for cleaning the interior of tubes



Jan. 16, 1923. n

H. KORNER. TOOL FOB C1LEANING THE INTERIOR 0F TUBES.

FILED SEPT. 1, 1921.

gwuefnjfor, Hein 7.2' c Horner Patented dan. 16, 1923i il il? HEINRICH KRNER, OF BRESLAU, GERIIANY,

TOOL FOR CLEANING THE INTERIOR OF TUBES.

Application filed September 1, 1921. Serial No. 497,735.

To @ZZ whom t may concern.' Y

Be it known that I, HEINRICH KRNER, a citizen of German Republic, residing at Breslau, in the Republic of Germany, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Tools for Cleaning the Interior of Tubes (for which I have filed applications in Germany on November 20, 1915, and July 10, 1918), of which the following is a specii io fication.

This invention relates to a tool intended in general for cleaning the interior of tubes, and in particular for cleaning and smoothing the interior of curved tubes, for instance such as employed in certain types of water-tube boilers.

The gist of the invention consists in the feature that the known elastic scraping spring which is wound like the threads of a screw is coiled around a carrier or holder that also is elastic, the arrangement being sncli that the tool in its entirety forms a completely elastic body which adapts itself to all curvatures and undulations of the tubes however short the radius may be. Rotation ot this elastic tool may be effected by the mediation ot a flexible shaft driven by any suitable motive power.

The carrier or holder of the tool may consist, for instance, of a strong india-rubber core, or, still better', of a single or multiple spring around which the scraping-spring is wound. To fasten this latter to the carrier or holder a wire may be drawn through its core space and be connected with the carrier or holder.

To obtain a certain mass of the tool in order to be able to exert such a scraping force as is suited to the purpose, the carrier or holder may be hollow and this space may be filled up with solid bodies, such as balls or their equivalents, whereby the action of the tool is rendered quieter and more uniform without any decrease of the tools elasticity.

ln order to make my invention more clear, I refer to the accompanying drawing which shows, by way of example, two forms oi' construction of the improved tool and in which Figure 1 is a longitudinal section through the one forni of construction; Figuie 2 shows a portion of the working spring; Figure 3 is a side-view of the other form ot construction; and Figure el is a longitudinal section through the same.

Referring to Figures 1 and 2, a. is the scrapingspring proper and is an inner spring located within the windings of the outer spring a' and 'forming the carrier or holder for it. The windings ol the spring (t correspond, inthe case in question, to those of' the spring` b, and the two springs are connected with each other by a wire g extending through the windings of the spiral ci and lying closely to, and tightly around, the windings of the spiral o. The ends of this latter are closed by members c and Z, of which member e serves also for connection with a flexible shaft (not shown). The corespace of the spiral o is filled up with balls 7" extending from the connection member e to the closing member ci. rlliese parts al and c may be affixed to the spiral Z) by welding, soldering, or the like.

Although, in the form of .construction here dealt with the windings of the spirals a and l) run in the same sense, still, this is not indispensably requisite; they may run in op posite directions and any one of them may be right-handed, whereas the other may be lett-handed. In any case the length and diameter of the spirals, as well as their pitch, depends upon the circumstances, such as the inner diameter of the tubes to be cleaned or scraped out, the stress which the parts are to be exposed to, and the like, and also connecting the various parts with each other may and must be chosen in conformity with the requirements of the case. The tool may be cylindrical or conical. Owing to the scraping member being spiral, the tool advances automatically within the tube to be cleaned.

In the form of construction illustrated in Figures 3 and i the scraping spiral a is held in proper position by an inner wire-spiral 7L, one end ot which is secured to a head lc aflixed to the free end of a flexible shaft having a coupling member 1t at its other end. The other end of the wire-spiral L is connected with a sleeve m that may be displaced along the shaft The scraping spiral .f. may, thus, give way in longitudinal direction when being advanced into a tube, or i'j advancing itsel'fl owing to its threads.

Having thus fully described my invention. what l desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. :i tool for cleaning the interior of tubes, comprising, in combination: a cleaning member, a hollow yielding holder for it,

and solid bodies eii'anged in Seid holder said holder.

2. A tool for Cleaning the interior of tubes, eompi'ising, in combination: a spira-lly Wound soiziping spring, a hollow yielding holder for it; and bells filling up Jche space within said holder; said spring being wound aroundsaid holder, `substantially as described.

3. ln a. cleaning tool7 a spirallyy wound hollow core, espirally wound cleaning membei' wrapped around said Core, a wire eX- tending .through the convolutions of the cleaning member and having its ends connected to the core, and balls filling Said hollow core. n

ln testimony whereof I aix my signature in presence of two. witnesses.

HEINRICH `iimnn. 

